5 UFL players that the Detroit Lions could be looking to add before training camp, including the Defensive Player of the Year
Detroit Lions could dip into the UFL again. With the season over, five standout players emerge as potential training camp targets — including the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
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The 2026 UFL season is over after Saturday’s championship game, which saw the Louisville Kings win it all. Now it’s time for some of these guys to get some opportunities in the NFL, and this is where the Detroit Lions usually shine.
At this point, the Lions have 0 former UFL players on their roster, with Jake Bates, Jacob Saylors, Nick Whiteside, and Thomas Gordon. Here are five guys they could add before training camp:
Edge Cam Gill
Gill actually spent some time with the Lions. He spent a couple of weeks with Detroit during the 2024 season. This year, he led the UFL in sacks and won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Gill has experience playing in the NFL and even sacked Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl in 2020. He could come in for a shot at a depth role on the 53-man roster.
DT Carlos Davis
The Lions could use a little more help on the interior of their defensive line. With Davis, they get an All-UFL player who has a real shot to crack the rotation as a run stuffer and space eater. He has some NFL experience. He played six seasons in the NFL. He is 29 years old, and that makes you wonder if he’s a little too old for Detroit. But he’s worth watching.
CB D.J. Miller
The Lions have been known to bring some of these guys back for another shot. That’s what they do here with Miller. He was on the roster at training camp last year. He didn’t make the 53, but he did have a better season in the UFL and got some All-UFL honors this season, too. He’s worth another look.
LB Tae Crowder
Crowder led the UFL in tackles in 2026 and made the All-UFL team. The former seventh-round pick spent time with the Giants, Steelers, Chargers, and Titans during his time in the NFL. It feels like they could use one more linebacker for competition, and Crowder could be that guy.
WR Chris Rowland
The UFL’s best return man for years now. I still can’t believe this guy hasn’t had a tryout in the NFL, let alone a shot at a training camp. The Lions just lost Kendrick Law, and Rowland fits right into that ideal. He makes a lot of sense for Detroit in that regard.
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